Middle Ages Regents Practice

Which development is most closely associated with the beginning of the Byzantine Empire?

1. emergence of the Russian Orthodox Church

2. division of the Roman Empire

3. building of the Hagia Sophia

4. fall of Constantinople

The correct answer is: division of the Roman Empire

The development most closely associated with the beginning of the Byzantine Empire is the division of the Roman Empire. In 285 AD, Roman Emperor Diocletian reorganized the vast empire into a more manageable structure, effectively dividing it into the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. This division laid the groundwork for the distinct political and cultural identity that emerged in the eastern portion, which centered around the city of Constantinople. As the Western Roman Empire declined and eventually fell in the 5th century, the Eastern Roman Empire, later known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to thrive. It preserved Roman law and governance while also integrating elements of Greek culture and Orthodox Christianity. This separation marked a critical transformation in European history, leading to a new political entity that would influence the region for centuries to come. While the other developments listed are significant in their own right, they occurred either later in history or were part of the developments within the Byzantine Empire rather than its inception. For example, the emergence of the Russian Orthodox Church occurred later as Russia adopted Byzantine Christianity, the building of the Hagia Sophia represented a later achievement of the Byzantine Empire, and the fall of Constantinople in 1453 marked its end rather than its beginning.